The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-20

At the Fourth Presbyterian Church, last
night, the Rev. G. l.. McNutt preached from the
text, Elk, Xxx, 10: Thou shalt not steal" He
said an unusual number of thieves have been
caught in Chicago this past week. many that
the class to which they belong may, for conven-
fence sake, be called 1.-The Chicago thieves"
They have been caught not by the usual officers
of the law, but by the retributive justice of
commercial law. Their condemnation is the
curse CT the people. This class of thieves is
unique They do not hide in dens, sneaking
through dark alleys with billet and burglars
tools. They are not driven to theft by hunger
The live the finest streets, and ride In car
riages in broad daylight Their wives wear the
most magnificent costumes at the opera They
leading citizens. Mortified, doubt
tho poor devil Anarchist who would destroy
all property. Let the Anarchist hang. At the
same time, remember the man who, above all
others, breeds aud fosters Anarchists. Let no
guilty man escape. The eighth commandment
guards the right of property with the sanction
of divine law. The principle involved, as stated
by Todd, in this 1.-The taking of the property of
another without giving fair equivalent in
change is, except in the case of gifts stealing"
The manner OF taking is immaterial. 1t may be
a gang of frort tier ruffians robbiDg a train, it
may be a gang of men manipulating the markets
TO produce a corner and to force prices. The
principle is the same-something for nothing
Buying and selling on margins is not stealing
but il is dangerously like il. If done by a boot
black in back alley. it is gambling. The steal
ing is forcing the markets up or down at the
plain truth by calling it exchange. Elk
change! 1t Is the very mockery of
exchange It seems that they had
time. In Proverbs XII, 26, it is written
He that withholdeth corn the people shall
curse him" Railroad stocks furnish the best
illustration of this kind of thieving buys a
controlling interest in railroad. The stock is
worth go cents. AT once by systematic effort the
road is crippled The stock runs down to 80;
his broker buys it in. Suddenly the road pros
pers. The stock goes up 10 80. He sells, and
quietly pockets million. Where did he get it,
What equivalent has he given for 1t! He is
inadequate TO reach him. Flo lives in
sion, and Is astonished at strikers and Anarch-
lists.
Some other thievesl Yes, they are not all in
Chicago. She has her share. They are in In
danapolIs There is the commercial thief. A
farmer sells a blind horse; the buyer is ignorant.
money, with congratulations has he given a
fair exchanged If not is he a theft Why not2
The merchant sells shoddy goods at trstclass
prices Is he thief! Why mott man makes a
false return of property to the assessor Is he
driving a shrewd bargain with the government.
or is he stealing from the widow whose home is
fully taxed, TO support government TO protect
his property There is the political thief. The
ballot is the property of every citizen. Buying
another mans vote is stealing mine. There is
the thief who steals the husband from the
wife. father from child, whose Golfers are filled,
though cupboards empty; whose Golfers
filled though jails are thronged. and death and
hell are glutted with victims-the saloon keeper
and the man who rents the premises. Why mott
Some other thievesl Yes. In the homes of
Indianapolis. there are young women and young
men who never work. Their fathers
burdened. They must dress in style, matter
how heavy the mortgage Some other thieves9
Yes. Society is honey-combed with them. and,
what Is worse, society does not condemn them.
1t is the public conscience that is largely fault
It is hopeful sign that the press and the pulpit
unite IN calling things by their right names